HOWARD: Hello, and welcome to Noteworthy by the U.S. Currency Education Program or CEP. My name is Howard Williams, and I'm the manager of the CEP. The CEP is responsible for ensuring the integrity of and trust in the U.S. dollar by providing information and training resources to the public. Check out our website at uscurrency.gov to find free information and training resources on U.S. currency. Leading our discussion today will be Maria Hawkins, who is joining us now.
MARIA: Hello. Thank you for joining us. I'm Maria Hawkins, and I'm a member of the CEP team. I support domestic and international outreach, and I'm thrilled to be here with you today. With me today is Ayjah Thomas-Tunstill. Hi, Ayjah. Could you please introduce yourself to our listeners?
AYJAH: Hi, Maria. My name is Ayjah Thomas-Tunstill, and I am a digital communication specialist with the CEP team, managing our social media and newsletter outreach. I also lead the team's strategic communications portfolio, and I look forward to our conversation.
MARIA: We're so happy to have you join us today. In this episode, we're going to learn about why images such as pyramids, eagles, and different types of seals have appeared over the various designs of U.S. currency in the last two and a half centuries. Many of these symbols are still used today on our present-day bills.
AYJAH: That's right. And understanding the symbolism behind these images provides us with a glimpse into the minds of the American founding fathers, and how they hope that these symbols will help generations of Americans appreciate the ideals of hope, optimism, and patriotism.
MARIA: Various designs of paper money were circulated in colonial times. However, on July 4, 1776, just a few hours after the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress, a committee was appointed to create an official seal for the new United States that would symbolize America's ideals, and the intent of the seal was for it to be featured on our nation's currency. The committee consisted of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, three names that you will also recognize as the authors of the Declaration of Independence.
AYJAH: Designing the seal proved to be quite extensive. It took 6 years and 3 different committees to agree upon a design, and it was ultimately accepted by the Continental Congress on June 20, 1782. It became known as the Great Seal of the United States, and it holds several hidden symbols and messages. We'll examine the Great Seal in more detail a little later.
MARIA: But before we dive into that, we suggest that you grab a $1 bill and $20 bill so that you can follow along. We will also include photos in the show notes. Ayjah, do you have both of the bills?
AYJAH: I have them right here.
MARIA: Great. Let's start with the $1 note. It's the most popular bill in circulation, but it hasn't changed much since the current design was issued in 1963. The front of the note features a portrait of George Washington, the nation's first president. The use of his image was intended to convey unity and trust.
AYJAH: Also, on the front of a $1 note, you'll see a small green seal to the right of George Washington's portrait. This is the U.S. Treasury seal. In the center of it, there are balancing scales that represent justice, and a key under the scales that is an emblem of authority. And in the very center, there are 13 stars representing the original 13 states.
MARIA: Now let's flip the note over. On each side of the bill, you will see the front and the back of the Great Seal. The two most notable features of the Great Seal are the pyramid and the eagle.
AYJAH: The eagle's wings are spread wide. In its left talon are 13 arrows signifying war, and in its right talon, an olive branch signifying peace. Which talon the head of the eagle is facing is very important. Here, the eagle is looking toward the olive branch rather than the arrows, indicating the nation's desire to pursue peace, but does stand ready to defend itself.
MARIA: Additionally, the eagle holds a banner in its beak with the Latin words, e pluribus unum, meaning out of many one. I recently learned that it should have read ex pluribus unum, but the founding fathers decided to drop the letter X so that the phrase would have 13 letters. In a colorized seal, the shield on the eagle's breast has a blue upper section, which represents Congress, but below it has 13 red and white vertical stripes representing the 13 original states.
AYJAH: You know, Maria, those colors have significance too. Blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Red signifies hardiness and valor. And white indicates purity and innocence. And those 13 stars above the eagle, those represent a new constellation in the universe of a newly formed nation, the United States.
MARIA: Now take a closer look at the other side of the Great Seal. It features an unfinished pyramid, which represents an unfinished country. It also signifies strength and duration. And the pyramid itself is composed of rows of building blocks. Can you guess how many rows?
AYJAH: I'll bet there's 13. At the top of the pyramid is a floating eye with rays that extend in all directions. The eye is known as the Eye of Providence.
MARIA: Wow. I didn't realize that it had a name. The floating eye represents an all-seeing eye, the masonic symbol of the great architect of the universe. For more information about the $1 bill, visit our show notes for a link to a previous podcast episode from season 1.
AYJAH: What about this $20 bill? It looks like it's the most recent design, which means it was issued sometime after 2003. The bill features a portrait of Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. president. But what's really interesting are all the eagles on the front. To the left of the portrait is the Federal Reserve System seal, which also features an eagle in the top half. Printed behind that is a large eagle with arrows and an olive branch. And to the right of the portrait is a small eagle in crest in iridescent green ink.
MARIA: Those eagles represent freedom, a cherished American value. The back of the 20 also depicts the front of the White House, and the front has the same treasury seal that is printed on all U.S. banknotes.
AYJAH: You might have noticed too that the $20 bill in all U.S. currency has the words imprinted, in God we trust on the reverse side of the bills. Starting in 1957, following the passing of a law, it was mandated that the phrase be included on all currency.
MARIA: We hope that this episode has inspired you to take a closer look at your money and has provided you with a deeper understanding of the symbols and the messages that are printed on it that might make you think about the hopes and ideals of our founding fathers just a little bit differently. For more information about the signs and symbols of U.S. currency and to see photos of U.S. currency designs throughout history, please visit our show notes and our website, uscurrency.gov. Also, subscribe and connect with us on social media. Until next time.
